Tag: 2023
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M. Ward, Supernatural Thing, 2023 on Anti-
M. Ward‘s 12th solo album and followup to his Billy Holiday covers album Think of Spring. He’s joined by First Aid Kit on “Too Young To Die” and “Engine 5,” by Jim James and Kelly Pratt on “For Good”, by Shovels & Rope on “Mr. Dixon,” and by Neko Case on “Dedication Hour.” Includes a…
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Brandy Clark, Brandy Clark, 2023 on Slate Creek / Warner
Clark’s fourth studio album, self-titled, and produced by Brandi Carlile, who provides backing vocals, piano and guitar on a number of tracks and is featured on “Dear Insecurity,” which they performed live at the Grammys in 2024 – and for which she won a “Best Americana Performance” Grammy. She’s been a great songwriter for many…
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Herbie Hancock, Sextant, 1973 on Columbia
1973’s Sextant was the last LP with the so-called Mwandishi-era sextet: Bennie Maupin, Eddie Henderson, Julian Priester, Buster Williams, and Billy Hart. It was also his debut on Columbia after Blue Note and Warner Bros. Columbia would also release Head Hunters later the same year. Great, funky collection – side 2 is one track, the…
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Tori Amos, Little Earthquakes, 1992 on Atlantic
Tori Amos’ debut album from 1992. I had this CD (and Under the Pink) on constant repeat through graduate school – happy to finally get a copy on vinyl. What an amazing album – still gives me chills 30+ years later. “Me and a Gun” of course, but also “Silent All These Years,” “China,” “Precious…
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The Oscar Peterson Trio, Con Alma: Live in Lugano, 1964 on Mack Avenue / Two Lions
First released in 2023, this set was recorded at Teatro Apollo in Lugano Switzerland by RSI Radiotelevisione svizzera (the Swiss Broadcasting subsidary covering Italian speaking Switzerland) on May 26, 1964. Mack Avenue Records is a Detroit label founded by Gretchen Valade who gets executive producer credit here. Two Lions is a label Peterson’s widow Kelly…
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Grateful Dead, Anthem of the Sun, 1968 on Warner Bros / Seven Arts
Second LP from the Dead, assembled together by Garcia and Lesh out of a mixture of live and studio recordings to make a new hybrid. Very much a psychedelic and experimental record, as the cover and song titles would suggest. My copy is the Vinyl Me, Please reissue from 2023, which was manufactured for Rhino.…
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Willie Nelson, Willie Nelson and Family, 1971 on RCA Victor
Nelson’s 12th studio album, while he was still at RCA Records, before moving to Atlantic. Some covers – “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry,” “Sunday Mornin’ Coming Down,” “Fire and Rain,” and “Today I Started Loving You Again” – as well as some Nelson originals like “I Can Cry Again” and “That’s Why I Love…
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Dessa, Bury the Lede, 2023 on Doomtree Records
Dessa is a part of the hip-hop collective Doomtree out of MInneapolis – great collection of artists and she is (for me) one of the standouts. She was also cohost of the Deeply Human podcast in 2021-2022. My copy is a signed red-vinyl “Collector’s Edition” via Waterloo Records in Austin TX. Unfortunately my copy did…
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Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Weathervanes, 2023 on Southeastern Records
Ninth studio full-length from Isbell and sixth with the 400 Unit – won the 2024 Grammy for Best Americana Album 2024, and “Cast Iron Skillet” won Best American Roots Song. Isbell produced, with assistance from Matt Pence. Recorded at Blackbird in Nashville. The subtitle (on the hype sticker) is “Life And Death Songs Played For…
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David Porter, . . . Into A Real Thing, 1971 on Enterprise
Porter was the staff songwriter for Stax – this was his second full length LP issued under his name, following up Gritty, Groovy, & Gettin’ It. Enterprise was a sub-label of Stax, which also released the early Isaac Hayes solo albums. (Apparently label president Al Bell was a Star Trek fan). Wonderful early 70s Stax/Volt…
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Willie Nelson, Milk Cow Blues, 2000 on Island Records
Originally released in 2000, but issued on vinyl for the first time in 2023, this is Willie singing the blues, with guests including Francine Reed, Keb’ Mo’, Jonny Lang, Dr. John, Susan Tedeschi, B.B. King, and Kenny Wayne Shepherd (doing a mean “Texas Flood”). Mix of Wilie’s own songs plus covers (“The Thrill is Gone.”…
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Art Farmer, Portrait of Art Farmer, 1958 on Stereo Records
“Stereo Records” was a jazz label made by Contemporary Records in 1958 to push records made with the new-fangled stereo technology: Stereophonic two-channel disc recording utilizing Westrex 45-45 “StereoDisc” cutting system. To be reproduced only with stereophonic cartridge. Warning: use of conventional monaural cartridge without sufficient vertical compliance may well result in damage to this…
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Waylon Jennings, The Taker / Tulsa, 1971 on RCA/Victor
Love this early 70s Waylon Jennings. It’s only 30 minutes long but has great takes on some Kris Kristofferson tunes like “Lovin’ Her Was Easier (Than Anything I’ll Ever Do Again)” and “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down.” It was recorded at RCA “Nashville Sound’ studio and in LA, and produced by Danny Davis and Ronny Light.…
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Herbie Hancock, Empyrean Isles, 1964 on Blue Note
Early jazz Herbie Hancock – this was his fourth studio LP for Blue Note, backed by Freddie Hubbard on cornet, Ron Carter on bass, and Anthony Williams on drums. Recorded on June 17th, 1964 at Rudy Van Gelder’s studio in Englewood Cliffs, NJ. The most well known track here is “Cantaloupe Island” which became something…
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Willie Nelson, I Don’t Know A Thing About Love, 2023 on Legacy
The missing subtitle here is “the songs of Harlan Howard” – the primary songwriter on all these tracks. It’s a great collection, released on the 23rd anniversary of Howard’s death in 2002. Artwork is by Micah Nelson (aka Particle Kid). My copy is the VMP vinyl edition (which also seems to be the only vinyl…
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Marty Stuart, Busy Bee Cafe, 1982 on Sugar Hill Records
No, that’s not the same Sugar Hill that put out Rapper’s Delight – it’s a folk/bluegrass label out of North Carolina, later merged in Concord and now Rounder. Although Stuart’s recorded output starts in the 80s, he spent years touring with Lester Flatt and in Johnny Cash’s road band. This was his second album, the…
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St. Paul & The Broken Bones, Angels in Science Fiction, 2023 on ATO Records
This is the fifth full length album from Alabama’s St. Paul & The Broken Bones, and their second on ATO. Beautiful packing with a lovely lyrics booklet. It’s also a great record, with its origins reportedly in letters Paul Janeway wrote to his (at the time) not yet born child. It’s the kind of album,…
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Son Volt, Day of the Doug: The Songs of Doug Sahm, 2023 on Transmit Sound
Jay Farrar and Son Volt performing the songs of Doug Sahm, over 20 years after he passed in 1999. This was a “Record Store Day First” release back in 2023 on green vinyl. It’s got a vocal intro and outro by Doug Sahm, lifted from voicemails. The back cover is an homage to the cover…